Harmons grocery stores remain committed to local artists

ST. GEORGE — Nothing says, "buy some freshly made food" like a hand-drawn rendition of Nacho Libre blowing croutons into a salad.

That's what Kirsten Beitler and the many other resident artists at Harmons grocery stores across Utah have collectively agreed upon.

Harmons has been employing resident artists to create one-of-a-kind signs by hand for the past 20 years. Lindee Nance, vice president of marketing, says the resident-artist position was created in the early 2000s to "deliver a truly unique shopping experience … that stands out in a world where traditional signage often fades into white noise. Instead of generic messaging, stores feature localized, artist-designed chalk artwork tailored to each store."

The family-owned Utah grocery chain has 20 locations and employs 19 full-time artists. Beitler said she has become increasingly grateful to work for a company that values handmade art, even as jobs like hers are often replaced by technology.

"I'm grateful that I get a chance to physically draw," Beitler said. "It's kind of a weird time to be an artist and (AI) does threaten people's jobs. And it's really sad because you can't get that kind of magic that sometimes happens from a person's brain.

"There are a lot of digital artists, and that's wonderful, but that's not my forte," she continued. "I'm kind of old. When I graduated college, we were just barely learning Photoshop. It's stuff you can learn, but I like to draw, and these days, it's hard to find a job where you can actually physically draw all day long."

Beitler has been working at Harmons for 10 years and said it wasn't something she envisioned for herself, adding that the job opportunity came when she needed it the most.

"I started almost 10 years ago when the Santa Clara store opened, and when I was going through a divorce," she said. "I needed a job with benefits and insurance for my kids, so I opened that store as their floral manager. I didn't even know they had an artist. I am an artist, and that's what I do, so after two years of doing floral management, I was like, 'Well, I would rather be drawing.' I applied for the job and got it."

Beitler has a unique style that piques shoppers' interest. Shoppers will see Gaston welcoming them into the men's grooming aisle, with "every last inch of me's covered with hair" tattooed on his chest. The soap aisle sign is geared toward 1950s-style parenting, when bar soap had a dual use: one for cleaning bodies and another for washing mouths of "dirty" language. Yes, Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" is there in all his fudge-filled glory.

"I like to do as much art stuff and less word art as I can get away with, and the customers love to come to the store and be able to be entertained," Beitler said.

James Bennion, the Harmons resident artist at the Bangerter Crossing store, said he couldn't envision a better place to satisfy his need to create a daily dose of art for others to enjoy.

"A lot of customers don't realize right away that it's hand-drawn art," Benion said. "My office is on the mezzanine, right in the food court area. I love working with my door open, and I can't tell you how many times customers will stop by in awe. They come in and say, 'I didn't realize all this was hand-drawn.' They come in and see my signs, and it makes me so happy to tell them about it."

Bennion, along with Beitler, is one of the more seasoned resident artists at Harmons, with 11 years of experience. Like Beitler, he started in another department, and when he learned about the art program, he set a goal to become the store's artist.

"It means everything to be able to work as an artist full-time," Bennion said. "From the time I was a kid, I'd hear the quote, 'Find something you love to do, and then figure out how to make money out of it.' I feel like I hit the jackpot. That's exactly what I get to do for a living. There's that one song by Dirty Heads called 'Vacation,' where it says, 'I'm on vacation every single day 'cause I love my occupation.' I like that song because I feel like I'm living that."

Bennion and Beitler said they value the freedom to be creative, even when their tasks that day include creating a sign for bath bombs or discounted products, adding that working collaboratively has helped them grow as artists.

"I'm just one of many artists, and I can't tell you the amount of talent each of these artists has," Bennion said. "I'm blown away every time I see something that one of our Harmons artists has done. There's some serious friendly competition going on between stores. When I see things the others have created, I say, 'I gotta step up my game!' It makes us even better as time goes on, and I think it's great.

"Harmons' vision is to be remarkable so that people will be disappointed shopping anywhere else," he added. "I truly believe that the art program, and all the local products that they have, make Harmons remarkable."

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